1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a diving snorkel assembly. More specifically, the subject invention relates to a diving snorkel assembly including a snorkel tube and a casing surrounding at least part of the snorkel tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Diving snorkel assemblies include an inner surface defining an air passageway extending between a first end and a second end of the snorkel tube to enable a skin diver to breath underwater. In modern diving snorkel assemblies, the snorkel tube may includes different portions that perform different functions within the snorkel tube. For example, the snorkel tube may include various features such as a water trap and various valves dedicated to air intake, air exhaust, water purging, or a combination of those functions. Such features are added onto the snorkel tube in a separate step during manufacturing. For example, a portion of the snorkel tube may be manufactured to include the feature. The portion of the tube including the feature may be assembled with another portion of the snorkel tube. The resulting snorkel tubes made from the two separate portions are typically flimsy and are not water tight. As such, additional processing steps may be required to seal the snorkel tubes and/or reinforce the snorkel tubes, such as gluing the various portions together.
Diving snorkel assemblies further require excellent strength and surface appearance properties. As such, snorkel tubes typically must be formed from materials that are resistant to cracking, deformation, or other failure during use. Furthermore, the snorkel tubes are typically required to have an excellent surface appearance to be visually appealing to customers. As such, relatively expensive materials are required, as are relatively expensive manufacturing steps such as injection molding, in order to make suitable snorkel tubes.
Furthermore, known assemblies typically have a fixed color or design once manufactured, and there is no way to quickly and efficiently modify the assemblies to satisfy demand for a specific color or design without making an entirely new assembly.
Thus, there is an opportunity to provide a diving snorkel assembly that includes a snorkel tube that may be formed from relatively cheap materials through relatively cheap manufacturing processes and that further does not require gluing to seal the snorkel tube and to provide structural reinforcement. Furthermore, there is an opportunity to provide diving snorkel assemblies that may be quickly and efficiently modified to satisfy demand for a specific color or design.